Digestible messages from scientists to policy-makers

As part of the efforts to improve science-policy interface in the intergovernmental processes on sustainable development at the United Nations, the Global Sustainable Development Report has posted an open call to the scientific community around the world, inviting scientists to submit briefs, highlighting specific issues, findings, or researches with a bearing on sustainable development in its three dimensions – economic, social and environment – or their inter-linkages. Briefs could be submitted in any official UN language. They must be factual and based on peer-reviewed literature, focusing on the review of up-to-date findings relating to a particular issue, or presenting solutions to a problem or challenge. Key messages from the current scientific debate must be highlighted for the attention of policy-makers.

In the spirit of transparency, all published briefs are open for public review on this website. If you already know which brief you would like to comment on, use the search function on the right side. Alternatively, feel free to pick a topic of your interest from the tag cloud and browse the collection.

Here are some guiding questions for your comments:

Scientific: is the brief factual and based on peer-reviewed literature?

Balanced approach: does it consider a wider range of scientific perspectives? does it reflect economic, social and environmental aspects?

Novelty: does it present an issue that is typically not adequately considered in the global sustainable development policy debate?

Effectiveness: does the brief provide useful suggestions for policy makers? does it outline alternative policy options?

Accessibility: is the brief well-written and easily understandable?

Your comments will be taken into consideration when the editors decide which topics to feature in the relevant chapters of the 2015 Global Sustainable Development Report, which will be reviewed by policy makers at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in June 2015.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the crowd-sourced science briefs do not represent those of the Secretariat of the United Nations. Online publication or dissemination of these briefs does not imply endorsement by the United Nations. The designations employed or terminology used in the briefs concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations. The United Nations reserves the rights to edit, format, distribute and publish the briefs as it deems necessary, including to facilitate public reviewing of the content.

The article on investing in sustainable development provides an innovative way of fine-tuning tools from insurance to plan for covering damages from climate-change related disasters. Because of their large-scale and often public good nature, risks associated with climatic and man-made disasters can confront both governments and the insurance industry with astronomic and long-term costs such as those involved in the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earth quake, the Fukushima nuclear accident or the on-going cyclone in Vanuatu. Dr Nwokeabia’s piece comes as a wake-up call to the international community by pointing to a way towards financial preparedness for emerging extreme risks via a re-scoping of insurance standards and crafting novel public-private initiatives in the realms of regulation, risk management, and fiscal policy

What could be more important than sustainable energy? I heard a talk a few years ago that the largest driver of economic growth in any country is dependent upon how much energy they have. We need to reduce usage, especially among the developed nations. This project has the possibility of changing behavior, the most important way to save energy.

Two GSDR 2015 briefs that address the need for longitudinal and culturally relevant measures of sustainable energy consumption at this website are: Flattau “Design and diffusion of smart energy monitors for sustainable household consumption” and Kaijage “Achieving sustainable energy consumption in Tanzania” – a country whose national electrification plan makes it the ideal location to explore factors that influence household energy consumption practices under a variety of energy delivery scenarios.

The brief of Market-based approach (Insurance) to Sustainable Development appears quite innovative or interesting for policy making. Specifically, the use of Insurance to manage Sustainable development is very striking. In my view, this brief needs to be given more highlight in the high level Sustainable Development meeting. It is insightful and well written.

I think Climate Justice and Intergenerational Education should be added into the topics in GSDR. I also want to contribute in writing article on the dynamics of sustainable development in contemporary Southeast Asia. Thank you from Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago…

Our urgent job is responding to great challenges of sustainable development. Initiative should be aimed at include each person in contribution. That’s demand significant change in mindset, behavior and attitude.
Present world trend is `HOW MUCH I COULD PURCHASE AND POSSESS.’ To achieve `sustainable development’ or Earth Friendly development we must get each one free from the said mentality. That’s need vibrant movement across the globe we say sasrai-Movement. Each one will be in thinking and practicing save a bit, reserve, preserve, rejuvenate and conserve resources. We must offer a habitable earth to our next generation. Sequentially we must prepare ourselves to have in mind purposefully, logically, effectively
Global Community in Need
 Each Creature Equality
 Gender Equality
 sasrai Living
 Stop Consumption Slavery
 Stop Advertisement Administered Lifestyle

The biggest threat for the present earth is Climate Change, Global Warming. And that’s the product of our Consumption Slavery or we can say Advertisement Administered life style. We have already crossed four “planetary boundaries.” They are the extinction rate; deforestation; the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; and the flow of nitrogen and phosphorous (used on land as fertilizer) into the ocean. Scientist shown human activities — economic growth, technology, consumption — is destabilizing the global environment,”

To address the said threat we must have Control on Consumption Slavery and children, youth should be the prime focus – we must get Each baby Caring to Each particle of Food and resources.
Student must learn
a. Absolute truth for today’s world careless consumption driving untenable production that driving changes in temperature and weather patterns and that’s the Hotter and Hungry World. Hungry world will contribute millions of desperate people. Desperate people do desperate things: They riot, they fight over food, they overthrow governments, and the mass migrate to food-secure countries.
b. If we don’t smarten up in consumption, scientists estimate that humans will consume twice as many resources as the planet can support by 2050. The consequences grow more and more severe as forests shrink, water becomes scarcer, arable lands diminish, and the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere approaches a deadly point of no return.
c. At the rate things are going, the Earth in the coming decades could cease to be a “safe operating space” for human beings.
We must get Each baby Responsible to Each Particle of Resource. Student/Children/youth involvement in sasrai activity has multiplier effect and impact. sasrai-Movement presentation among Student/Children/youth could contribute including other
01. Student/Children/youth informed about local, national and global issue of Climate Change, global warming
02. Get chance to invigorate and reorganize their mindset, thinking, planning
03. Student/Children/youth could design own work, path, decision to lead their life
04. Student/Children/youth get chance for positive contribution to the self, society and humanity
05. Student/Children/youth could have and initiate their doings, partnership with adult nationally, internationally
06. Student/Children/youth get chance utilize their potentials for positive changes
07. They shall be motivated to learn for positive contribution for self, family and community
08. They shall be motivated to contribute for Children, Mother, disable, old – deserving humanity
09. Motivated to contribute in reducing disaster and environmental degradation
10. They will Kick start the process to address Climate Change and Global Warming Threat
11. They will be able to identify role for self, family, community, nation and humanity
12. Student/Children/youth will get chance to build themselves as Sustainable Development Leader

Good question, Tony. A reflection of the interests and priorities of the contributors, give the “crowd-sourced” nature of the enterprise. That said, we do have quite a number of briefs addressing climate change. If you would like to contribute a brief, please do so!

I write to endorse the call to action expressed in “Austrocedrus forests of South America are pivotal ecosystems at risk due to the emergence of an exotic tree disease: can a joint effort of research and policy save them?”
By Alina Greslebin 1, Maria Laura Vélez2 and Matteo Garbelotto3.
I am familiar with the pathological crisis facing Patagonian Austrocedrus forests, and with the good work of the authors of the brief. Their report is accurate, and timely. The foothills ecosystems of the Andes will be severely impacted by loss of Austrocedrus. To date the impacts are localized, but dramatic. Ironically, people (and their cattle) that live in the region with the most to lose are often the chief vectors of spread.